Changes in Attitudes and Actual Practice of Oxygen Therapy in ICUs after Implementation of a Conservative Oxygenation Guideline.

Background: Little is known to what extent attitudes of ICU clinicians are influenced by new insights and recommendations to be more conservative with oxygen therapy. Our aim was to investigate whether implementation of a conservative oxygenation guideline structurally changed self-reported attitudes and actual clinical practice.

Methods: After the implementation of a conservative oxygen therapy guideline in 3 teaching hospitals in the Netherlands, ICU clinicians were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward oxygen therapy.

Self-reported attitudes versus actual practice of oxygen therapy by ICU physicians and nurses.

Background: High inspiratory oxygen concentrations are frequently administered in ventilated patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) but may induce lung injury and systemic toxicity. We compared beliefs and actual clinical practice regarding oxygen therapy in critically ill patients.

Methods: In three large teaching hospitals in the Netherlands, ICU physicians and nurses were invited to complete a questionnaire about oxygen therapy.